I am so sorry to hear this! Dentist visits are the only thing I am really keeping up with on a regular basis. Still hate it though. I am not scared of the dentist, but have jaw and neck pain for days after. Hope you find a good one!

I hope you find a good dentist. And they help you quickly with the pain.

I'm definitely no good at dental pain. Nowadays I force myself to keep up on Dental appointments so nothing gets worse. I had very bad fears but I worked through them. I go to the dentist regularly in keeping with my philosophy that doing everything you can to stay healthy helps with a better life. Of course I regularly brush, floss and waterpik as well.

I always disliked going to the dentist. I kept my dental insurance when I retired and go every 6 months. I hope you find a good honest one. When we moved to the other side of the city a few years ago we went new local dentist. Boy did I get his number right away. With out even xrays he proceeded to tell me I needed all this $$$ work, root canals and caps,etc. How could of my teeth got soooo bad in 6 months? He billed our insurance for a procedure my husband refused 3 times to have when he was in the office. Of course I notified the insurance he never had it done. Now we go back to our old dentist. It takes us longer to get there but It is worth it to have a dentist that is honest and not out to pad his wallet preforming unnecessary procedures.

Older fillings can go bad, older teeth can crack much more readily than those that belong to a younger person. We have kept our dental insurance and have a thorough cleaning and examination every six months, but even that and fastidious home care can't prevent a failure from occurring.

I'm so sorry, schoolhouse, and hope that you can get in to see someone very soon. Bad toothaches mean a bad infection.

Could be that you need a root canal. I totally understand not keeping the insurance as most don't pay much into it.

But....if shouldn't mean no dental appointments. At the very least you really should schedule 2 cleanings a year with a hygienist.

Is there a dental school near you? Sometimes this can be an economical way of getting dental care.

The best way is to ask others to recommend dentists. Or ask your regular doctor. Even yelp reviews are better than picking by a phone book ad. Just tell them ahead of your appointment that you are a fearful patient. You can also write it in the paperwork you will fill out.

Dentists have to control pain during procedures, or they cannot do the job. If you need a procedure, close your eyes and think of your vacation, a movie plot, count your breaths, or whatever occupies your mind. Good luck, and keep us posted.

Going to the dentist at least twice a year is a necessary evil. It costs money and it is no fun.

Using an electric toothbrush, flossing, and using a water pick are what my hygienist advises.

Not picking on you, Schoolhouse, because I don't know your situation, but I can't believe how many of my otherwise smart friends don't go to the dentist routinely and are choosing to have teeth removed over more expensive efforts that would save the teeth. These friends are not wealthy, but they sure find money to spend on things less important than their teeth (IMO).

Until you can be seen by a dentist, you might try swishing a mixture of half water and half peroxide in your mouth. Just don't swallow any of it. I've had that help with tooth problems. I use warm water.

The older you get the more important it is to maintain good dental hygiene. You don't want to wind up having to eat mush when you're older because your teeth and jaw are in such poor shape. That leads to poor nutrition and a host of other issues.

Since there has been shown that there is a strong correlation between dental problems with heart and other health problems getting your teeth cleaned and at least looked at once a year is essential. However I have to disagree with getting recommendations vs. randomly selecting from the telephone book as what works for one person may not work for you. If the recommended dentist, doctor, etc. is not a fit I have seen it cause problems between friends.

Dental insurance isn't really insurance, and it isn't much like medical insurance at all.

It's normally structured as a prepayment for services at a discounted rate, to include periodic cleanings, exams, xrays, etc plus a minor amount of other procedures and discounts on more procedures up to a maximum amount.

Having dental insurance is kind of like getting a Costco card. You can get some things for less but not everything you may need and it's not the only way to get those things.

Twice a year cleanings, once a year exams, etc., are essential for good overall health as well as good oral health. While you're making arrangements to get a physical from a physician (other thread), find a good dentist too and jump onto both bandwagons going forward to take better care of yourself. Good luck.

No teeth - the "connected" kind, that is.

Had service at a (nearby) dental school, including the removals.

They made dentures, upper (still useful) and lower (depended on a single and a double for anchorage, no longer there, so the lower feels seriously deprived - you would, too, if the supporters on which you depended were "not all there".

ETA: Through various services, including root canals, extractions and fitting dentures I had very little discomfort to deal with. I told her supervisor that my student, a south-asian (Indian heritage) female had gentle hands, and she agreed.

1. I recommend such a school for quality of service.

2. I recommend it for price of service, as well.

3. Moreover - I recommend that you take care of your teeth.

old joyful ... who finds it a bit difficult to "bite off" ...

... let alone "more than he can chew".

o j

Hope you found yourself a dentist today and are feeling better! Three years ago, my younger daughter had a terrible toothache with a numb lip. She called her dentist on a Wednesday afternoon. They told her they didn’t have time on the Thursday and are closed Friday. Not the dentist you want to have. Needless to say she switched to mine.

I hope you have found a new dentist and can get in for an appointment at the earliest opportunity. Having a toothache is no fun. Basic dental care is most important as others have noted.

I had wanted to bring this to everyone’s attention but the information is still preliminary. Alzheimer’s research is showing a lot of correlation between the plaques in the brain that cause Alzheimer’s and the same bacteria in the mouth that cause plaque to form on our teeth and cause gum diseases. That is the simplest of explanations. Researchers are studying a particular family in Columbia who have an extremely high rate of Alzheimer’s at early ages. The FDA has given limited approval to an experimental drug to be used on humans that may stop progression of Alzheimer’s. All this research is based in the study of these bacteria that can be carried in our bodies. Obviously some people will react differently than others. But this is important information, at least in my view, that we should not ignore our oral hygiene.

The achey tooth feels much better, that is until I drink something cold. owie. Yes, I neglected my teeth. When I was a kid there was no regular trips to the dentist probably because my parents couldn't afford it. I just never learned to go to the dentist until my early 20's when problems began. Back then I had dental insurance through my employer, but hardly ever took advantage of it as, did I mention? I'm terrified of dentists??

Have had lots of fillings and a couple root canals over the years but it's been a long time. I know I need some type of denture, as I actually have few teeth left! Reason I don't get them - would hate the inconvenience vs being able to chew well and look better. ha My ideal would be dental implants but the cost is so high. I can afford it but using my savings for it and at my age (65)? Not sure about that.

Outsideplaying - I have read about the Alzheimer connection.

A friend of mine who is 66 has had dental implants done over the last couple of years and is so glad she did them. She has had poor dental care (if any) for years but her doctor told her that for her overall health she needed to do something about her teeth.

I've just been online reading about implants and the whole procedure. Not like on TV where the person sits down in the chair and then gets back up with nice new teeth. Lots of healing time between procedures, months or even up to a year depending if you need a bone graft.

I don't have naturally white teeth, so I like to whiten. I didn't find an answer to my question about if an implant can be whitened or what happens if you get a white or near white implant to match your other whitened teeth, then later you stop whitening, you'd have a mix of yellow and white teeth?? lol

Since implants are either hard plastic, porcelain, or teeth from cadavers only the last one would accept whitening. I have a fb friend who recently had the initial process done in Mexico for a much more reasonable price than in the US. One thing to think about is where you want the implants. In the front the few people I know who have had them vs. crowns have replaced all of those teeth. If you are thinking of replacing molars unless you have a very wide smile few will notice that there is a color difference.

I have personal qualms about the use of cadaver bone for cosmetic purposes vs. needed medical uses. Apparently there are enough people with similar qualms some dentists are supposedly using an artificial substance that the existing bone will grow through but it takes longer than cadaver bone.

mailfleur, are you sure about teeth from cadavers? I know cadaver bone material can be used sometimes for bone grafts but I'm not sure sure about teeth. The "implant" post itself is usually titanium, and the prosthetic teeth structure mounted on it is custom made and usually metal for the underneath part and "teeth" of porcelain.

Going to Mexico or any third world country for that matter for a dental or medical procedure is highly risky.

My dentist said a part of his business is fixing problems from dental work done in foreign countries.

I can believe that. And for prosthodontists, dentists who are specially trained in 3 year residencies beyond dental school to do restorative dentistry, a significant portion of their patient work is spent fixing problems caused by botched implant jobs done by general dentists.

Many dentists call themselves "implantologists". This is not a recognized dental specialty with standardized training, it's rather a designation used by those who have taken limited professional education/training classes in the subject matter. If you want to be cynical, it's a label used by those with significantly less training than dentists who have completed recognized specialty programs like oral surgery, periodontics or prosthodontics.

schoolhouse, 65 years is young. My mother is 92 and treating her teeth casually during some periods of her life is 'biting' her now....and I mean really decreasing the quality of her life. Her smile is fine, not at all unattractive. She's missing molars and it affects her nutrition, protein in particular.

Years ago she had a partial that she chose not to wear, did not find it comfortable and it was inconvenient to become used to it, keep returning to have it tweaked. Now her jaw has changed, and partials are not an option. Neither are implants - osteoporosis.

Please, while you are young if the money is available to you, bring your teeth up to date. Make it a goal and see it through until complete.

Our dentists have an in-house program where it's so much a year, includes 2 cleanings and checkups, discounts on work, no waiting period as many commercial plans have. It would be considerably cheaper annually than the plan I buy for the two of us - I haven't signed up for it with the dentists because it's limited to just their office. If either of us wanted to see an oral surgeon, endodontist, or change dentists (!) and I let our dental policies go, we'd have no coverage someplace else. I've had our policy in place long enough we have full coverage (and that's often three years with the private plans)

It's not worth trading fear of the dentist over your upcoming health. Procedures are just about painless these days, dental work has come a very long way from what we experienced as kids.

ETA: I'm all for saving money where possible, one of those who rarely pays retail ;0)

But stories like this on our local news recently would just about stop me cold if considering out-of-country medical procedures to be done more cheaply -

Deadly bacteria acquired during gastric bypass procedures for weight loss

Yes Elmer I am certain about the use of cadaver bone used in dental procedures. I have had two friends who have had it used. One as a piece of bone the other granulated powder. A easy search can turn up sites discussing it.

Above you said "teeth from cadavers".

That's not bone from cadavers. Cadaver bone is used sometimes, other materials more frequently, as a graft to reinforce places where the surgeon believes the bone is weak or thin. I'm not sure how a cadaver tooth could be used since the "teeth" in an implant are customized, size and shape-wise, to the patient's mouth and other teeth, if any.

I tried to clarify - the "implant" itself, a post embedded in bone, is titanium. A tooth or a structure of teeth is connected to the implant with screws, once it has knit in to the underlying bone. That tooth or teeth are usually porcelain, the structure if multiple teeth are in the prosthesis is metal with the teeth attached to it.

Elmer do what you suggest others do. LOOK IT UP. While some dentist do use titanium most use bone powder. Educate yourself on the procedure not just what you have in your mouth but all things that are used.

Oh dear, you've twice misread what I wrote. That's fine, we can let it drop. This isn't something I look up, I have a relative to ask.

Ask your relative then about the use of both bone and teeth from cadavers since that is your source.

I'll keep it short:

I asked "Are extracted teeth or teeth from dead people ever used in restorations?"

"No, not that I ever heard of."

I cringe at the very idea.

I cant imagine that used dead people's teeth would even be considered in such a procedure. Especially nowadays, with the advances made in dentistry and the materials available for such. I can see bone but if given the choice, I would prefer something else....

There's nothing to think about or cringe at as regard teeth prostheses - it's not something that's done with teeth. .

Many years ago, I needed to have periodontal surgery on a place on my gums. I didn't need a bone graft, but the periodontist told me if it was required, cadaver bone tissue was needed. At the time, she assured me the only tissue they used was donated from deceased nuns; because of their lifestyle, it was the purest source available. I think this may have been at the beginning of the AIDS epidemic and the concern over the source of the graft materials was great.

Since then, I believe they more often take patient's own bone from other places on their body to do grafts, or there are some synthetic materials used. I could find no reference to cadaver teeth for implants, except historically, before modern false teeth technology, they were used sometimes used to make false teeth.
Mayo Clinic Implant Surgery info